Culture Magazine

C O O K I N G W I T H C H E E S E 202 3 culturecheesemag.com 41 THREE-ONION BRAISED CHICKEN WITH MUSTARD- MASCARPONE SAUCE Written by Cassy Vires Be sure to use fresh pearl onions in this recipe— frozen onions will break down and disrupt the decadent sauce. Serves 4 BRAISED CHICKEN: 1 3-pound chicken, cut into 8 pieces Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper 2 tablespoons unsalted butter 1 yellow onion, thinly sliced 2 small leeks, thinly sliced 10 ounces white pearl onions, peeled 3 cloves garlic, minced 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour ½ cup dry white wine ½ cup chicken or vegetable broth 1 bay leaf 2 sprigs fresh thyme MUSTARD-MASCARPONE SAUCE: 8 ounces mascarpone 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard 2 large egg yolks BRAISED CHICKEN: Place chicken pieces in a single layer on a large platter and season with salt and pepper. Let sit at room temperature for 15 minutes to allow skin to dry. Heat oven to 250°F. Melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add chicken pieces, skin side down. Cook for 5 minutes, or until skin is browned. Remove chicken from pan. In same skillet, sauté yellow onion, leeks, pearl onions, and garlic over medium heat until fragrant. Add flour, reduce heat to low, and stir until mixture is light brown, about 2 minutes. Add white wine and broth. Stir to ensure that all clumps of flour are broken up. Return chicken to pan and add bay leaf and thyme. Cook for 30 minutes, or until chicken reaches 155°F. (The chicken will continue to cook and reach 165°F as the sauce cooks.) Remove chicken from pan, wrap in foil, and place in oven to keep warm. Bring remaining mixture to boil over medium heat. MUSTARD-MASCARPONE SAUCE: Meanwhile, whisk together mascarpone, mustard, and egg yolks in a bowl. Remove skillet from heat and very slowly and carefully pour egg mixture into skillet, whisking constantly to avoid curdling eggs. Remove chicken from oven and arrange on a large platter. Pour sauce over chicken and serve immediately. MOZZARELLA-STUFFED AREPAS WITH SHERRY-MANGO SLAW Written and styled by Leslie Orlandini Photographed by Mark Ferri Arepas are Venezuelan and Colombian fritters made from masarepa, a precooked white cornmeal (find it in the Latin section of most grocery stores; we recommend PAN or Goya brands). Start preparing the slaw early as it must soften in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour before use. Serves 4 SHERRY-MANGO SLAW: 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil 2 tablespoons sherry vinegar Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste 3 cups shredded savoy cabbage, shredded ¼ cup grated carrots ½ to ¾ cup peeled and chopped ripe mango 3 scallions, sliced 1 serrano pepper, seeds removed and minced ¼ cup chopped cilantro AREPAS: 1¾ cups warm water 1½ teaspoons kosher salt 2 cups masarepa (pre-cooked, white corn flour) 1 large ball of fresh mozzarella (approximately 1 pound), sliced into ¼-inch-thick rounds Canola oil, for frying SHERRY-MANGO SLAW: Whiske together olive oil, vinegar, and salt and pepper to taste in a medium bowl. Add shredded cabbage, carrots, mango, scallion, serrano pepper, and cilantro. Toss together, cover, and refrigerate 1 hour or overnight to soften. Mozzarella-stuffed Arepas with Sherry-Mango Slaw AREPAS: Combine warm water and salt in a bowl. Stir to dissolve. Add masarepa and stir to form a dough. (It should have the consistency of soft Play-Doh.) Knead together, divide dough in half, and place each half on a piece of cling wrap. Place another equal-sized piece of wrap over each and press to flatten slightly. With a rolling pin, gently roll each portion of dough between plastic to form a square, roughly 9-inches-by-12 inches and ¹⁄ ³ -inch thick, using plastic to contain and shape it. If it gets too thin or cracks, fold it back on itself and continue rolling, until the rectangle is even and smooth. Repeat with second half of dough. Use a 3-inch round cookie or biscuit cutter to cut 8 circles from each rectangle of dough (push together scraps and re-roll if necessary). Top 4 rounds with 1 mozzarella slice each, trimming if necessary, leaving a ¼ inch edge. Dip a finger in water and wet edges of circle. Top with another circle of dough and gently press together to seal. Wrap arepas in cling wrap and press out all the cracks between the dough layers to help contain the cheese. TO COOK AREPAS: Heat a skillet lightly coated with oil over medium heat. Unwrap arepas and place 4 in skillet, frying 2 to 3 minutes per side, or until light brown. Don't worry if they crack slightly. Remove from skillet and repeat with remaining arepas. To serve, plate arepas with slaw on the side. Pass around your favorite hot pepper sauce.

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